Towing engine



May 15 1923.

11,455,261 T. S. MILLER TOWING ENGINE Or'i inal Filed Se t. 9, 1918 7/ g P 2 sheets-Sheet 1 Q I k L\ m w WITNESSES. INVEMTOR A TT ORNE Y 7 Patented May 15, 1923.

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'llI-IOI'i IAS SPENCER MILLER, OF SOUTH ORANGE, NEW JERSEY.

TOWING ENGINE.

Application filed September 9, 1918, SeriaI No. 253,217. Renewed October 14, 1922. Serial No. 594,611.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, TrrotL-is SPENCER MILLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at South Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Towing Engines, of which tllflfOllOWilig is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in towing engines of that character or type original with me; in which the towing line or hawser is wound or held on a revoluble drum which is driven and controlled by a motor which is automatically operated to pay out the hawser when the tension on the same is increased, and to take up the hawser when the tension on the same is decreased, whereby the tension on the hawser is controlled within reasonable limits to the end that lighter and shorter hawsers may be employed, as set fortlrin my prior applications for Letters Patent, Serial No. 177,702, filed June 26, 1917; Serial No. 218,- 158, filed February 19, 1918; and Serial No. 223,931. filed March 22,1918.

In the applications above mentioned, the automatic control is effected by mounting the drum in bearings on a movable support, the movement of which support and bearings, due to changes in tension on the hawser, is employed to operate a controller for the motor; for example, a valve controlling the supply of steam to the cylinders of a steam engine, if that be the type of motor employed.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a towing engine of the character stated, but in which the drum may be mounted in fixed bcarings, and a similar automatic control of the hawser tension effected by means responsive to changes in the operation of the drum and its driving means, due to changes in tension on the hawser.

A further object is to provide a towing engine of the general character mentioned, wherein the control of the steam pressure to the engine cylinders will be effected by mo-v tion of the power shaft or other power element, or element driven-thereby, or responsive to movement of the power shaft or other driving element, or of the drum, and preferably during a certain extent of'inovement thereof, so that .the control will take place promptly under conditions making it de sirable to vary the steam pressure.

The invention consists in the novel construction to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated a preferred embodiment of my present invention in the accompanying drawings to be taken as a part of this specification, and wherein Figure 1 is a plan View of a winding engine embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudii'ial section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, showing another exemplification of the same inven tion.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2:

1 designates a bed-frame of any suitable construction, upon which are mounted vertical standards 2, in the upper end portions of which are bearing 3, in which are journaled the ends of a horizontal shaft 4. Upon this shaft is mounted a drum 5 having end flanges 6, 7 (see Fig. 1), the latter of which is connected to a driving gear 8. The driving gear 8 meshes with a pinion 9 fixed on a horizontally disposed shaft 10, mounted in bearings 11 on the bed or frame 1. On the opposite ends of the shaft 10, and outside the bed-frame, are mounted crank-discs 12 carrying eccentric pins 13 connected by connecting rods (shown in dot and dash. lines) at 14:, to cross-heads 15 arranged to slide on guideways 16. The connecting rods 1 1 are connected to the piston rods, not shown, of fluid pressure cylinders 17, which constitute motors to drive the power shaft 10. Each cylinder 17 is provided with a valve-chest 18 containing a slide-valve of any suitable construction for controlling the flow of steam to and from the engine cylinders 17, said slide-valves being operated by connecting rods 19 (shown in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1). and'connected to eccentrics 20 on the power siaft 10. Controlled by the movement of the drum responsive to changes of tension in the towing line, is means for con trolling the fluid pressure motor to cause the same to operate the drum to take up the line when the tension in the towing line is reduced, and to pay out the towing line when the tension in the same is increased. This means will now be described:

21 designates a controlling valve-casing adapted to control the supply of fluid pressure to the cylinders 17, so that the pressure in said cylinders will be reduced when the tension in the towing line exceeds a certain degree, thereby permitting the drum to pay out suflicient line to reduce the tension in the line to normal, or that determined, and so that the pressure will be increased when the line tension falls below the desired amount, thereby causing the drum to wind in the line until the desired tension is re stored. 21 designates a throttle-valve of any suitable type, controlled by a hand wheel 22 to control the supply of steam from any suitable source. It is not necessary to show the connections between the source of steam pressure and said valve, but such connections may be applied to the inlet end or said valve, indicated at 23 (see Fig. 1). The outlet branch 2 1 of the throttle-valve is connected to the inlet duct 25 ot the casing 26 of a reversing valve, preferably forming part of the controlling valve structure. This controlling and reversing valve structure comprises a casing 27 divided by a horizontal partition 28 into cylindrical chambers 29, 30, the latter being connected by oppositely disposed conduits 31 with. t e valve chests 18 of the engine cylinders ll, one of said conduits being indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and both or said conduits being indicated in full lines in Fig. 1. In the chamber 29 is a horizontally disposed cylindrical valveway having at its opposite ends sets of annular openings 32, 33, and intermediate annular openings 34 communicating respectively with annular steamways 35, 36 and 37. The steamway 3'? opens to themain steam line supply pipe through the said throttle valve, the steamway to the exhaust pipes 38 leading from the cylinder valve chests 18, and the steamway 36 communicates with a port 39 leading to a cylindrical valveway 10 opening at one end into the chamber 30, and at its other end into a port 41 Opening through the valveway heretofore described, into the exhaust chamber 42 in the valve casing, the latter also communicating with the exhaust passage as shown in Fig. 2. The ends oi the chamber 29 are connected with the by-pass or exhaust chamber 12, by means of the ports 43, :4, and the annular passages 15, 16. The main exhaust connection is shown at 47. In the cylindrical valve cage or chamber 29 is arranged a double piston valve having heads 48, 49, connected by a reduced portion 50, the said heads being so spaced that when the valve is moved, the space between the heads will span either the openings 33. 34 er the openings 32, 3%, so that in the first position, the exhaust ports 38 of the cylinder valve chests 18 willbe connected to the exhaust 17 of the casing through the chamber d2, on the one hand, and the steam inlet 25 with the port 39, on the other hand, while in the second position of said valve, the steam inlet 25 will be connected to the port 32 to reverse the flow or" steam to the engine cylinders and the passage 33 will be connected to the exhaust chamber 42 through the passages 44. This piston valve is provided with an extension rod 51 extending through a stufling box 52 in the head of the valve casing, said rod being threaded through a hand-wheel nut 5st rotatably mounted on the casing, said hand-wheel nut being operable to shift the valve to either or the positions above set forth, and'said rod 51 being held against rotation by any sultable means, for example, as shown in my said prior applications. In the cyl1ndrical valveway a0 is arranged a cylindrical cage or liner 54, having openings 55 communicating with the ports 41, 16, openings 56 communicating with the port 39, and openings 57 communicating with an annular port 58 in the valve casing, and surrounding the said liner. The inlet steam flowing from the port 25 passes through the openings 56 around the head 59 out through the ports 57 into the annular port 58, and thence through the conduits 31 leading to the valve chests of the steam engines. Arranged to reciprocate in. the cylindrical valveway a0 is a puppet valve carrying the said head 59, which is normally located in the chamber 30, and adapted to cooperate with the edge I of an annular shoulder 60, constituting a valve seat, to control the flow of steam between said chamber 30 and the port 39, the head 59 is provided with an annular passage or groove 61 through openings 62 with the bore of the hollow puppet valve, that portion 63 or the head of the valve being formed to engage the inner surface of one end portion of the said liner 54C, and thereby serve as a guide for reciprocatory movements of the valve. The head of the valve is provided with an opening 645 through which the interior of the valve communicates with the chamber 30. This hollow puppet valve is provided at its end opposite that carrying the head 59, with an annular piston head 65 connected to the head by a reduced stem 66. which permits passage oi the steam by said valve, in passing from port 39 and opening 56 to the chamber 30, and the ducts 31 eading to the engine cylinders. The head 65 terminates adjacent thepassagc 41, so that the chamber 30 communicates through the bore of the puppet valve with said passage 41, under conditions to be described presently. The puppet valve is normally urged toward its seat bv'an expansion spring 67 seated at one end on said valve, said springhavcommunicating ing its opposite end seated in a spring plate 68 in one end of the chamber 30, and engaged by an adjusting bolt 69 threaded through the head of the casing and operable to regulate the expansive force of the spring.

Arranged in the valveway ea in longitudinal alinement with the puppet valve, and adjacent the said head 65, is a balanced piston head 70 having ports 70 which head 7 O is adapted to engage either the end of said head to cut oil communication between the chamber 30, and the exhaust passage 41 through the puppet valve, or be moved away from said head 65 to permit free communication between said chamber 30 and the passage l1. This piston head is carried by a stem 71 having at one end an enlarged cylindrical part 72 slidably disposed in the head 74: of the casing. The portion 72 of the said stem 71 is provided with a longitudinally extending pin or projection 75, slidably disposed in a bore 76 of a sliding member 77 arranged to slide longitudinally in a bearing bracket 7 8, mountedon the bed frame of the engine, the pin and socket, or pin and bore connection providing for a relative sliding movement between the member 77 and said stem 71. I provide for a yielding or cushioning connection between the member 72 and the sliding member 77, which performs a function to be presently described. This connection consists of an adjustable abutment 79, preferably in the form of a hand-wheel threaded as at 80 on to the said sliding member 77, so as to be adjustable lengthwise of the latter, and between said abutment 79 and an abutment plate 81 on the stem 75, is arranged a strong coiled spring 82. The movable abutment afforded by the hand-wheel 79, serves as means for adjusting the tension or force to be exerted by the said spring 82. Pivotally connected as at 83 to the sliding member 7 7, is one member of a link 84, the other end of which is pivot-ed, as at 85, to a swinging or oscillating member 86, loosely mounted on the shaft 10, heretofore described. Mounted on the shaft 10 and preferably on opposite sides of the member 86. are friction discs or members 87, having faces 88 frictionally engaging the opposite side faces of the said swinging er oscillating member. Theclriction discs 87 are urged into trictiona] engagement with the side faces of the member 86 by means of coiled springs 89 surrounding the shaft 10- and having their opposite ends respectively abutting the friction discs 87 and abutments 90 carried by the power shaft. The abutments 90 are preferably adjustable lengthwise ot the shaft 10 in order to regulate the expansive force ofthe said springs 89, and for this purpose may be threaded on the shaft, as indicated. at 91, said abutments being provided with pin sockets 92 adapted to be engaged by a suitable tool or wrench, whereby said abutments may be adjusted longitudinally in either direction lengthwise of the shaft. Located on the main frame and supported thereon in any suitable manner, are stop members 93, 94, respectively, between which the swinging member 86 projects, and which limit the movement of the latter under the influence of the rotary movementof the power shaft 10. The stop members 93, 94:, consist of arms supported on a bracket 98 rigidly connected inrany suitable manner to the base frame 1, as at 94?. The arrangement is such that the rotation of the power shaft in one direction will, by virtue of the frictional engagement between the discs 87 and the member 86, move the latter in one direction, while when the power shaft is moved in the opposite direction, the said member 86 will be corrcspondingly moved, the stops 93, 94, however, serving to limit the movement of the said member 86. 7

By means of the hand-wheel 79, I am able to effect the manual adjustment, regulation and operation of the puppet valve independently of the automatic means consisting of the swinging or oscillating member 86 and associated mechanism, saidhandwheel being particularly useful for the ad justmentof the valve when setting it for the desired ii -pulling power, so that the steam pressure will be properly regulated by the automatic control.

The arrangement of the controlling valve, and the operatively connecting it with the power shaft, as heretofore deseribedfresul s in said valve operating in such manner, that when the hawser on the drum is subjected to tension serving to over haul the drum, said valve will function to cause a drop of pressure in the engine cylinders, whereupon, the drum will be over hauled by the hawser to pay out the hawser until the tension. of the latter is reduced the desired amount, while on the other band, should the tension in the hawser drop below that desired, the engine will function to drive the drum to take up the hawser until the desired tension is restored, thereby auto matically maintaining an approximately constant pull on the hawser, which pull may be regulated. by the operator manipulating the hand-wheel 7 9. within a range say from 5,000 to 25,099 pounds or more.

The operation of the eremplification of the invention as above described is as follows: For example, suppose it i desired that the towing engine exert an inpull of: say lFLOOOpounds on the towing hawser; in order todo this, it will be necessary to have a steam pressure of say 90 pounds in the ennine cylinders. In order to provide the nec .essary steam pressure of 90 pounds in the cylinders, the spring 82 will be adjusted by means of the wheel 79 to force the valve head away from its seat 60 a sufiicient distance to permit an adequate flow of steam to the engine cylinders to maintain said pres-i sure. The initial adjustment of the spring 82 may force the head 59 to the position shown in 2 ot the drawings, although the distance between the head and seat necessary to provide the desired steam pressure may be more or less than that graphically illustrated. vttltcam is then suppliedthrough the controlling valve to the engine cylinders by opening the throttle 21 and the engine then drives the drum to wind in thetowing line until the stress in the towing line ap proaches 15,000 pounds. it will be understood that the steam pressure in the supply main may be more than 90 pouncs, say 150 pounds and is reduced to the desired pressure in the engine cylinders by the action of the controlling valve. T will now explain the mode of operation of my invention preventing the stress on the haws'er exceeding 15,000 pounds. As heretofore stated, the steam pressure in the steam supply main may be 150 pounds, but the steam pressure must not exceed 90 pounds, and this control is ali'orded by the relative position of the valve 59 to its seat 60. The gliding member 72 is unbalanced in its proportions, and its movements in one direction are resisted by the spring 82, which is adjusted to resist any pressure less than 90 pounds and to yieldwhen subjected to a force of more than 00 pounds. F or pressures up to 90 pounds on the head 72, the spring 82 is not overcompresscd, but if the pressure exceeds 90 pounds on the head 72, said spring is over compressed. During pressures less than 90 pounds, the spring 82 maintains the valve head 59 away from its seat 60 far enough to maintain 90 pounds pressure in the engine cylinders, but when the pressure exceeds 90 pounds, the spring yields and the valve head 59 moves toward its seat 00 to reduce the How of steam in the cylinders to 90 pounds; It the excess above 90 pounds becomes high enough to force the head 70 and member 72 away from the part far enough, the head 59 will be seated on the seat 60, and the steam from the cylinders will be exhausted through the port all, until the pressure is reduced, whereupon the spring 82 will exert its force to open the valve During the winding-in operation, the steam pressure will therefore, be maintained at 90 pounds, but as soon as the stress on the hawser reaches 15,000 pounds, the towing engine will stall, under which conditions one engine will be on a dead center and will have the direction of its c ank shaft slightly reversed, so that both cranks settle back a short distance and hold. Coincidently with the stalling er the engine and the slight reversal of the crank shaft counter-clockwise of Figure 2, the swinging member 86 will be rotated backwards until its movement is arrested by the lower stop 94, when the parts will take the position shown in F this movement of the member 86 moves the member 77 to the right of Fig. 2, resulting in the thrust of the spring 82 being reduced, as will be also the steam pressure in the cylin ders, that is to say, the valve 89 will seat before said steam pressure can reach 90 pounds I have found by tests that a pressure of about 50 pounds, in addition to the internal friction of the towing engine itself will be sufficient to sustain a hawser stress of 15,000 pounds, that is to say, the resistance to overhauling the engineis the total of the resistance of the internal frictions of the engines plus the resistance of 50 pounds steam pressure inthe cylinders.

The engine will now sustain 15,000 pounds hawser stress with a steam pressure of 50 pounds, and will continue to do so during normal towing, i. e. when there is no material alteration in the tension of the towing hawser. Should an overpowering force act upon the towed vessel tending thereby to increase the tension of the hawser, the towing engine thereupon is overhauled or re versed, but the steam pressure inv the cylinders rises rapidly due to the compression of the imprisoned steam in the engine cylinders. Unless the over-pressure be relieved, there would be danger of breaking the hawser. This result is prevented as follows: When the overpressure runs higher than 50 pounds, this pressure is immediately communicated back through the ports and reacts upon the sliding member 72, compressing the spring 82, and resulting in the valve 59 being moved to its seat 60, and furthermore forcing the head out of contact with the part 65 thus permitting the steam to exhaust between said heads 70 and 65, and out through the port a1. The reduction of the steam permits the drumito be overhauled sutliciently to pay out enough hawser to reduce the tension therein. During this operation, the swinging member 86 remains in the position shown in Figure 2. When the steam pressure in the cylinders becomes less than 50 pounds, the spring 82 will exert its force to throw the sliding member 72 and the head'70 in a direction to cut oil. the exhaust from the cylinders, and again move the head from its seat 60 a sufficient distance to restore the pressure in the cylinders to 50 pounds. The engine will then again oppose the hawser stress with-50 pounds steam pressure plus the resistance afforded by the internal triction of the engine. It will thus be seen that the resistance to the hawser is maintained Jractically constant.

Should the stress on the hawser be re consequently exert no power, but during this slight revolution of cranks from the most favorable position to a less favorable posi- -tion,the member 86 is rotated until its movement is arrested by the stop 93. li ith the member 86 against the stop 93, the link 8a will be raised and the member 86 moved to the left of Fig. 2 to compress the spring 82 to a point where it will withstand 90 pounds of steam pressure. As soon as 90 pounds of steam pressure is afforded, the engine then regains its full power for windin in the rope until the stress in the latter is at approximately 15,000 pounds. li hen the stress again reaches 15,000 pounds, the engine stalls, reverses slightly and the cam is shifted to again operate the valve to maintain the cylinder pressure 50 pounds.- It will be seen that during normal towing the steam pressure in the cylinders is r latively low; for example 50 pounds, while when the drum is inhauling the steam is increaseu to a relatively high pressure, say for example 90 pounds. In other words, the steam pressure when inhauling is sufficient to exert a pull of 15,000 pounds on the hawser, when the latter is being inhauled, and for this purpose is high enough to overcome the internal friction of the towing engine and wind in the hawser until the desired tension be established therein, and the steam pressure is automatically reduced to a lower pressure than that necessary for inpulling, which lower pressure is maintained to 0ppose the strain of the hawser, and plus the internal friction of the engine is suflicient for that purpose. The purpose of employing different steam pressures for inhauling and for holdin the hawser is as follows: For example, if an engine could be built entirely frictionless, 90 pounds steam pressure in the cylinders might be sufficient to exert a pull of 30,000 pounds, but in the commercial engine a certain percentage of the steam power is exerted to overcome the internal friction of the engine, which percentage may by way of example be 50 per cent of the total steam power, so that 90 pounds steam pressure would only pull'in 15,000 pounds on the hawser, the result being that the engine would resist a @5900 pounds overhauling stress on the part of the hawser. A light hawser, which it is one of the purposes to employ may not resist a pull of 45,000 pounds, i. e. would break at such a pull, in fact a light hawser such as T desire to use, would safely resist a pull in the neighborhood of about 30,000 pounds. Therefore, I reduce the steam pressure which opposes the overhauling stress on the hawser, to such a point that the engine will be overhauled when the hawser stress is at a point within the limit of capacity of the hawser, that is, thestea-m pressure is reduced to such a point that the combined resistance of the steam pressure and the internal friction of the engine will not be such as to resist a pull of more than the safe capacity of the hawser, say in the neighborhood of 30,000 pounds pull on the cable.

In Figure 3 of the drawings, I have shown another embodiment of the same principle of operation: In this embodiment, the crank shaft is shown at 10, the-power pinion at 9, one of the crank disks at 12, and the controlling valve at 21, as in Fig. 2. On the crank shaft 10, is fixed a bevel gear 95, mesh- 111;; with a bevel gear 96, fixed on one end of a horizontal shaft 97 which turns in a bearing bracket 98, mounted on the base frame. On this shaft 97, is mounted a friction coupling comprising a driving member 99, keyed to said shaft as at 101 and slidable lengthwise thereof under action of a spring 102, surrounding the shaft 97, andarranged between the rear of the member 99 and an abutment 103 threaded on the shaft 97, as indicated at 104 for adjustment lengthwise of said shaft. The member 99 is provided with a friction face 105 in frictional contact with a friction face 106 on the driven friction member 107, having a central opening 108 to receive theend of the shaft 97. The member 107 is provided with an internally threaded hub 109 which is threaded onto a threaded nut or head 110 rigid with a memher 111, corresponding to the member 77 heretofore described. The member 111, is longitudinally slidable in a bearing bracket 112, mounted on the base frame, and is keyed in said bracket as at 118 so as to slide lengthwise but not rotate. The member 111 may be otherwise constructed and combined as heretofore described with reference to its counterpart 77 in Fig. 2, that is, it may have an externally threaded head 114 having threaded thereon an abutment member 115 between which and the member 72 of the controlling valve is a spring 116 correspond ing to the spring 82 of Fig. 2. The head 11 1 has an internal bore 117 to receive slidably the stem 75 on the member 72. The head 107 is provided with a lug 118 arranged to cooperate with a stop 119 on the engine bed, so as to prevent rotation of the member 107 a distance in either direction greater than to approximately 1/32 of a revolution. This arrangement -.causes the controlling valve to operate in the same manner as the arrangement shown in Fig. 2. When the engine runs in one direction to wind up the rope, the clutch operates to rotate the member 107 to thrust the member 111 toward the valve to compress the spring 116, to thereby maintain the higher steam pressure in the engine cylinders. VVhe'n the engine, stalls, the reverse move ment of the crank shaft operates the clutch in the reverse direction to move the member 107 backward until it engages the stop which fore, not deemed necessary to repeat such description.

\Vhat I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

1.. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, and means whereby stalling of the engine due to balancing of engine power and hawser tension operates to control the pressure of fluid in the engine cylinder.

2. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, and means whereby stalling of the engine due tobalancing of engine power and hawser tension operates to reduce the pressure of fluid in the engine cylinder.

3.In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a controlling valve, means whereby said valvemaintains a pressure of fluid in the engine cylinder to provide a determined inpulling power of the engine, and means whereby stalling of the engine operates said valve to maintain a relatively lower pressure in the engine cylinder to oppose pull of the hawser.

4. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon. a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a controlling valve, a spring exerting its force to cause said valve to maintain a determined fluid pressure in the engine cylinder to wind in the hawser to exerta determined pull thereon, and means whereby stalling of the engine changes the force of said spring to cause a reduced fluid pressure in the engine cylinder tooppose pull of the hawser.

5. In a, towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon,

fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a controlling valve, a spring exerting its force to cause said valve to establish a deter;-

6. In a towing engine, a drum, adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a. controlling valve, spring exerting its force to cause said valve to establish a determined fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser, a shaft movable in unison with the drum, an abutment for said spring, and means whereby increase of pull of the hawser acts on said abutment to reduce the force of said spring to reduce the fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser.

7. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating-the drum, a controlling valve, a spring exerting its force to cause said valve to establish a determined fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser, a shaft movable in unison with the drum, an abutment for said spring, a swinging member mounted on said shaft, friction means for imparting movement from the shaft to said 7 swinging" member, said swinging member being operable under increase of pull of the hawser to regulate said abuti'nent to reduce the force of said spring to reduce the fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser.

8. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser Wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the-drum, acontrolling valve, a spring exerting its force to cause said valve to establish-a determined fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser, ashaft movable in unison with the drum, an abutment for said spring, swinging member mounted on said shaft, a spring-actuatedslip, friction means for imparting movement from the shaft to said swinging member, said'swinging member being operable under increase of pull of the hawser to regulate said abutmentto reduce the force of said spring to reduce the fluid pressure in theengine in opposition to the pull of the hawser.

9. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluidpressure engine for operating the drum, a power shaft geared to the drum to drive the latter, a swinging. member on saidshaft, friction means carried by the shaft and frictionally engaging said member to cause the latter to move in two directions corre sponding to the directions of movement of the shaft, a valve for controlling the supplyof fluid pressure to the engine, and means whereby the movement of said member in one direction operates the valve to increase the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and in the opposite direction reduces the supply of fluid pressure to the engine.

10. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound tiereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a power shaft geared to the drum to drive the latter, a-swinging member on said shaft, friction means carried by the shaft and frictionally engaging said member to cause the latter to move in two directions corresponding to the directions of movement of the shaft, means for limiting the extent of movement of said member, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and means whereby the movement of said member in one direction operates the valve to increase the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and in the opposi c direction reduces the supply of fluid pres sure to the engine.

11. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a power shaft geared to the drum to drive the latter, a swinging member on said shaft, friction means carried by the shaft and frictionally engaging said member to cause the latter to move in two directions co-rrespondin to the eirectioils of movement of the shaft, stops for limiting the extent ofmovement of said swinging member, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and means whereby the movement of said swinging member in one direction operates the valve to increase the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and in the opposite direction reduces the supply of fluid pressure to the engine.

12. In a towing engine, adrum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, a connection between the drum and said valve whereby the valve is operated to decrease the supply of fluid pressure when the drum is overhauled, and to restore the fluid pressure when the drum operates to wind in the hawser, said connection including cushioning means controlling the valve.

13. A winding engine, comprising a drum, a fluid pressure engine for operating said drum, a driving element connecting said drum and engine to drive the drum, a controller for the fluid pressure engine, a swinging member on said driving element and responsive to rotation of the drum and hav ing limited movement in two directions. and a friction connection between said swinging member and said controller whereby the latter is operated.

14. A winding engine, comprising a drum,

a fluid pressure engine for operating said drum, a power shaft for driving the drum, a member loosely mounted on said power shaft, friction means on id power shaft for causing a limited rotation of said member, a controller for the fluid pressure engine, and means whereby said controller is operated by said member.

15. A winding engine, comprising a drum, a fluid pressure engine, a power shaft driven by said engine and geared to the drum to drive the latter, a controller for the engine, a member mounted loosely on said shaft, friction means to move said member in either direction on said shaft, and means whereby movement of said member operates said controller.

16. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a controlling valve, a spring exerting its force on said valve to establish a deter mined fluid pressure in the engine in opposition to the pull of the hawser, a power shaft geared to the drum to drive the latter, and a slip connection actuated by said shaft to vary the power of said spring to thereby regulate the fluid pressure in the engine.

17. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, an engine for operating the drum, a valve controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, an operative connection between said drum and said valve including a spring adapted to exert its force to hold said valve in position to supply fluid pressure to the engine, means operable by the drum throu 12h said operating connection to hold the spring in a determined position to exert said force, and means whereby overhaulingof the drum reduces the force of said spring on said valve topermit the latter to reduce the supply of fluid pressure to the engine.

18. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, an

engine for operating the drum, a valve controlling the supply offluid pressure to the engine, an operative connection between said drum and said valve including a spring adapted to exert its force to hold said valve in position to supply fluid pressure to the engine, means operable by the drum through said operating connection to hold the spring in a determined position to exert said force, and means whereby overhauling of the drum reduces th force of said spring on said valve to permit the latter to reduce the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and operation of the drum in the winding direction restores the action of said spring to increase the supply of fluid pressure to the engine. 19. in a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, an engine for operating the drum, a valve controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the reduces the force of said spring on said valve to permit thelatter to reduce the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and operation of the drum in the winding direction restores the action of said spring to increase the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, and means included in said connection for manually regulating the 'fOlCO of said spring.

20. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a

iuid pressure engine for operating the drum, a power shaft geared to the drum to drive the latter, an element mounted on the shaft, means whereby said element is movable with said shaft in both directions, means to limit the movement of said element, a valve for controlling the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, a member connected to said element and movable toward and away from said valve, and spring ieans between said element and valve.

21. In a towing engine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a power shatt geared to the drum to drive the latter, a swinging member loosely mounted on the shaft, frictional means on the shaft whereby" said member is movable with.

said shaft in both directions, means to limit the movement of said member, a valve for controlling; the supply of fluid pressure to the en 'ine a sliding member connected to said ging; member and movable toward and away from said valve andhaving a sliding connection therewith, and spring means between said sliding member and valve. i

522. In a towingen'gine, a drum adapted to have a towing hawser wound thereon, a fluid pressure engine for operating the drum, a power shatt geared to the drum to drive the latter, a swinging member loosely mounted on the shaft, frictional. means on the shaft whereby saidniembcr is movable with said shaft in bothdirections, means to limit the movement of said member, a valve for controlling}; the supply of fluid pressure to the engine, a sliding member connected to said swinging member and movable toward and away from said valve and having a sliding connection therewith, spring means between said sliding member and valve, and means carried by said sliding member tor regulating the force of said spring.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

' flHOMAS S ENCERMILLER. lYitnesses v EnNns'r Ponsronn,

lVILLIAM J. Pn'rnRsoN. 

